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Review: 'The A-Team'

The first dumb, fun popcorn flick of the summer

“If you have a problem, if no one else can help and if you can find them, maybe you can hire The A-Team.” This intro to the popular 1980s TV series that made Mr. T a household name also could apply to the recent big-screen adaptation. If you have a problem finding a mindlessly entertaining summer action flick — and no other films have cut it for you — maybe you should see “The A-Team.”

Review: 'Get Him to the Greek'

Supporting actors steal the spotlight

Forget “Sarah Marshall.” This spinoff of the cute, witty 2008 heartbreak comedy ventures in a completely different direction. “Get Him to the Greek” revels in relentless raunch and ridiculous rock ’n’ roll antics. But you probably could have gathered that from the commercials or the trailers. What the commercials won’t delve into is how depressing “Get Him to the Greek” can be on occasion. You know, some of the craziest rock ’n’ roll tales of all-time — like when Ozzy Osbourne and Nikki Sixx had a fire ant snorting competition, or when Scot Halpin played drums for The Who after Keith Moon passed out on stage — downplay the serious problems these rock stars had.

Review: 'Sex and the City 2’

An overdressed, overly long sequel of hits and misses

The first “Sex and the City” movie was a drawn-out affair with a thin plot where the main attraction was watching the TV series’ four beloved female Manhattanites reunite to showcase over-the-top fashion, sassy comic zingers and an unbreakable bond. “Sex and the City 2” is a drawn-out sequel with a thin plot where the main attraction is watching the TV series’ four beloved Manhattanites reunite to showcase over-the-top fashion, sassy comic zingers and an unbreakable bond — in the desert.

Review: 'Shrek Forever After'

Fourth film revives the franchise — even if it’s the final chapter

The first two “Shrek” movies were highly popular because they laced the old-time fairy tales with witty tidbits from the pantheon of current pop culture. It was fun seeing Lord Farquaad interrogate a gingerbread man, marionettes take jabs at Disney and Shrek and Donkey wield folding chairs at knights like they were the WWE Tag Team Champions. By “Shrek the Third,” however, the re-told fairy tale fascination had worn off. Although it made tons of money, the third film was largely forgettable and received poor reviews.

Review: ‘Sex and the City 2’

An overdressed, overly long sequel of hits and misses

The first “Sex and the City” movie was a drawn-out affair with a thin plot where the main attraction was watching the TV series’ four beloved female Manhattanites reunite to showcase over-the-top fashion, sassy comic zingers and an unbreakable bond. “Sex and the City 2” is a drawn-out sequel with a thin plot where the main attraction is watching the TV series’ four beloved Manhattanites reunite to showcase over-the-top fashion, sassy comic zingers and an unbreakable bond — in the desert. OK, maybe it isn’t quite that simple. But the fact remains that “Sex and the City 2” once again turns the full-proof small-screen formula into a hit-and-miss cinematic event.

'Iron Man 2' stays atop box office

LOS ANGELES — Steel bested bows and arrows at the movies this weekend, with "Iron Man 2" fighting off the new release "Robin Hood" to stay at the top of the box office. The superhero sequel starring Robert Downey Jr. took in $53 million domestically to remain at No. 1, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Review: 'Robin Hood'

A too-serious prequel that could use a bit of merriment

The legendary English outlaw Robin Hood is obviously a character Hollywood has fallen in love with. How else could you explain why, over the years, his popular story has been told courtesy of Errol Flynn, Kevin Costner and a fox (the 1973 Disney version ... anyone?). Apparently, now it’s Russell Crowe’s turn. The Oscar-winning actor has once again teamed up with director Ridley Scott (“Gladiator”) for the gritty, realistic origin story “Robin Hood.” Unfortunately, despite strong performances and commendable action, the story behind the arrow-shooting rebel gets dragged down by its dramatic weight.

Hot seat

Plenty of big summer movies that don’t feature a guy in an iron suit

With “Iron Man 2” undoubtedly set to kick things off with a bang, the summer movie season is officially under way. However, the excitement doesn’t start and stop with the Marvel superhero. Fans of over-the-top comedy, explosive action, animated family fare, chick flicks, big-name directors and the occasional chomping piranha can start marking their movie-going calendars for any number of films coming out in summer 2010.

Review: ‘Iron Man 2’

Not as good as its predecessor, but still a lot of fun

After watching “Iron Man 2,” there’s plenty to complain about, like the Pepper Potts-Tony Stark romance that was largely brushed over or the downgrade from Terence Howard to Don Cheadle as Lt. Col. James Rhodes or the somewhat disappointing final battle of the film. But honestly, does any of that really matter?

Back to basics

Griffon International Film Festival explores famous directors’ early movies

If you’ve ever wondered why Michael Moore is so confrontational or why David Lynch is so dark, you might want to attend a screening at the Griffon International Film Festival. The festival returns to the Missouri Western campus April 19 through 23. All festival events are free, open to the public and require no tickets.

Review: 'Date Night'

Carell, Fey team up for comedy that’s good, but not great

If you swapped out the kids in the 1987 Elizabeth Shue adventure/comedy “Adventures in Babysitting” for the two brightest fixtures of NBC’s must-see comedy Thursday (the only night of good programming on the network), you’d get “Date Night.” And much like that ‘80s mini-epic, “Date Night” offers many chuckles but few belly-rumbling laughs.

Review: ‘Clash of the Titans’

A flawed but fun blast of battles, special effects

In ancient Greece, popcorn probably wasn’t part of the daily diet. But popcorn-flick fans are the target audience in the digitally upgraded reboot of the 1981 Greek mythology action flick “Clash of the Titans.” The newest version doesn’t fully deliver on what should have been a promising re-invention, but those who remember the B-movie bliss of the original or enjoy a mindless actioner of Zeus-like proportions will walk away satisfied.

Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

Pixar finally has some serious competition -- and it’s in 3-D

DreamWorks has a history of making silly, mediocre computer-animated films that offer comedic moments, but little substance. Just watch any of the “Shrek” films and you’ll know what I mean. Or “Kung Fu Panda.” Or “Shark Tale.”

Review: 'Green Zone'

A fast-paced action flick gets bogged down by politics

Whether it’s Scorsese and De Niro or Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, there have been certain director/actor collaborations that seem to bring out the best in both participants. This seems to be the case for director Paul Greengrass and leading man Matt Damon based on their successful reinvigoration of the action thriller with “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “The Bourne Supremacy.”

The overlooked season

Don’t skip the theater this spring —especially if you love hot tubs and time machines

This summer may be the most profitable in the history of the movie industry. May and June are stacked with blockbusters like “Toy Story 3,” “Iron Man 2,” “Robin Hood,” “Sex and the City 2” and “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” just to name a few. But in anticipation, many moviegoers may overlook spring remakes like “Clash of the Titans” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” legit action flicks such as “Green Zone” and “Repo Men” and comedies with — ahem — interesting titles (in all my days as a reporter, I never thought I’d write “Kick-Ass” and “Hot Tub Time Machine” in the same sentence).